Cross Reference to Related Applications
This application is a continuation-in-part application of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 534,606 filed Sept. 22, 1983 now abandoned May 29, 1986.
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to medical devices and more particularly to a novel medical device suitable for use as a skin massager and specifically, for relieving itchiness, irritation and general discomfort of the skin often felt by a person whose skin is enclosed in a cast, splint or similar bandage.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The use of casts, splints or similar bandages is quite old in the medical field and they are used primarily to immobilize a part of the body such as an arm, leg etc. The commonly accepted method of applying a cast involves first shaving the skin, surrounding the part of the body to be immobilized with a stockinette mesh (which is available as a tube of any number of sizes), then a padding material such as cotton wool and finally applying the cast material which is usually plaster of Paris or fibre glass. This material is soaked briefly in lukewarm water, lightly compressed, and then rolled on top of the padding material, then smoothed and allowed to set.
Different types of casts are used for different parts of the body and in some cases, poles, struts or other strengtheners may be inserted into the case to strengthen or to create angular displacements as desired. The cast or splint must be snug to the immobilized area but there must be sufficient room to allow for some flexing of muscles of the immobilized area.
Thus, when a cast is made, a natural space will occur between the stockinette and the skin. This space allows the skin to breathe, allows any moisture to dry out, allows for the dissipation of heat, increases the circulation in the immobilized area, and helps to prevent or reduce nerve damage of the skin. Also, the immobilized area may well swell a little so that room is required for this expansion.
Once the cast or splint is applied to the body, the skin of the enclosed area cannot "breathe" as does normal skin. Thus, it may become very itchy and the person whose limb is enclosed, is very uncomfortable due to this itchiness. The skin will also sweat more than if it were not enclosed as the heat produced by the skin is not easily dissipated. Also, normal skin desquamation cannot occur so that a build up of the epidermal layer occurs which adds to the discomfort of the wearer of the cast.
It is thought that the itchiness is created by a combination of the movement of dry skin scales which are created by desquamation and the collection of debris inside the cast. The debris is partly composed of the cast itself which gradually crumbles and produces dust as well as debris and dirt which collects inside the cast.
In order to relieve such feelings, most persons are told by the physician not to do anything and to suffer these feelings. It is possible to force air into a cast to try to remove some of the debris. In Orthopaedic Nursing Procedures, 2nd Edition, by Kerr, A., (Springer Publishing Company, Inc., New York, N.Y.), it is recognized that itching inside a cast is a common complaint but the author recommends not to use any sharp object or stick to relieve such itching. It is recommended to insert a strip of gauze in body casts, to use wire coat-hangers or to use vacuum cleaners to blow out any foreign bodies inside the cast.
In the past, some devices have been proposed to relive skin itchiness and general discomfort. However, none of these devices have been specifically designed nor are they applicable to relieve discomfort for those persons wearing casts, splints and the like. These devices have been proposed as general skin massaging devices and are not, for the most part, suitable to relieve such discomfort from the wearing of the cast.
None of these devices are of a simple inexpensive yet safe construction. One of the earliest of such devices is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 998,328 granted to Czinjah which discloses a device referred to as a massaging implement which increases the circulation and removes any impurities from the pores of the skin. A handle is located at an end of a rod with a split sleeve mounted on the opposite end. An arm is mounted on a sleeve and branches are attached to the offset portion. Then bumps or projections were provided as the rough surface for rubbing the skin.
Various forms of belts such as those disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 1,812,891 granted to Meehan and such as those disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 2,015,255 granted to Charpies et al have been disclosed although they do not fulfill certain expressed needs as set forth hereinafter.
More recently, massaging devices have been prepared and reference is made to U.S. Pat. No. 2,807,815 granted to Mach which discloses a back massaging device which is used in the nature of a towel. The device includes spaced ribs which provide a massaging or rubbing surface on one side of the device and the other side is smooth. U.S. Pat. No. 2,008,990 granted to Mullen discloses another flexible device which uses a plurality of plugs or pins of differing lengths in three parallel rows to achieve the massaging effect.
However, none of the prior art devices have combined the features of the present invention to produce a safe yet low cost device which works well and which can be used by any person.